Tag: Subaru Legacy

After six feet of snow in a matter of three weeks, we’re waving the white flag. Subaru owners of America, you’ve made the best decision of your lives because you bought arguably the best winter vehicles on the market today. AWD and a history of long lasting quality is a worthy adversary for what mother nature throws at us during the winter. For those of you who are on the fence about whether to buy a Subaru or not, watch these videos or look out your window, you’ll see why owning these vehicles will make your lives better.

Time and time again Subaru’s have come up big in the clutch when driving in snow. In fact, during storms, Subaru’s are really the only brand that dominates the roads besides pickup trucks and plow operators. These vehicles were made for weather in New England and continue to stand the test of time. After this winter, when the snow piles are melted and people can get back to shopping, there is no doubt that Subaru sales figures will skyrocket.

Who cares about the CVT transmissions and very limited horsepower, at the end of the day these owners aren’t complaining about being stuck in snow and are instead warm inside their houses. If there is one thing that winter of 2015 has taught us, Subaru + AWD = the ultimate winter vehicle. A couple of more winters like these and state officials will have to make it mandatory to own one.

I think it’s safe to say we’re all sick of winter. If two foot snow storms are becoming the norm in New England, maybe it’s time to trade in the FWD sedan and move up to a more capable winter vehicle.

Every young person’s dream is to own a car that gets looks, notoriety, and a crowd that will fawn over the driver and car. But to get that, you’ll most likely have to buy a $50,000 car that has a powerful engine and nice luxurious interior. However, there can be negatives to all this. Not only is there the possibility your car could get stolen, but there might be a group of envious people who seek to harm your car because they can’t own something that gets the attention of everyone. Maybe you are the type that wants luxury and performance, but without the gathering crowd and just enjoy driving a car that you know is just as good as the Audi or BMW parked in the spot next to you.

Well, you’ve come to the right place. Here are three cars that will surely surprise you, but are probably not the first options on your list of luxury and performance vehicles.

1) Volvo S60/V60 T5

Any Volvo could be considered non conspicuous, but with a turbocharged five cylinder engine that supplies 250 hp on the AWD model, the S60/V60 tops the competition in it’s category. Other than a selected few cars, not many can boast that they have a more powerful engine than an Audi A4 or the lower trims of the Mercedes Benz C300. The Volvo seats make this car extremely comfortable, adding to the luxury aspect of the car. There is no lag in acceleration when you press the gas, and there is nothing more pleasing than hearing that turbocharged engine roar.

2) Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited

Besides the WRX/STi, Subaru’s have the same image as Volvo. They’re seen as safe vehicles for the middle-aged adult, can get through snow thanks to it’s AWD system, and are not considered as a luxury vehicle. That’s where the Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited comes into play. The Legacy has a 256 hp H-6 engine that has just a bit more power than the S60. This car comes fully equipped with leather seats and a navigation system. The only knock on the Subaru would be it’s subpar fuel economy getting 20-29 miles per gallon. However, this car comes with the performance and luxury qualities that make this car fly under the radar.

3) Toyota Avalon

Toyota wasn’t joking when they said this was their best creation ever. The Avalon comes with a V-6 engine that supplies 268 hp, and the best part is, this is standard. When it comes to luxury from Toyota, we tend to look at Lexus, but the Avalon has what it takes to hold it’s own against the competition. This car not only looks executive, but it has an engine that would certainly surprise someone if they had no prior knowledge of the car beforehand.

There are plenty of options out there if you don’t want to buy an Audi, Mercedes Benz, BMW, or Lexus, or want all the hype and drama that comes with the people who are drawn in by what you have. The S60/V60 T5, Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited, and the Toyota Avalon can fulfill all your wants and must haves when looking at a car to buy. These three cars constantly fly under the radar, but you can have fun with them at the same time.

According to a report by Automotive News, Acura is looking to make AWD standard on all their models and go the route of Subaru and Audi. But is it too late for the Honda-owned luxury car manufacturer?

While going AWD creates benefits for the consumer, Acura has to distinguish themselves from Subaru and Audi first. What is the Acura brand? Who are they marketing to, and are they a luxury car company, or more similar to Subaru who market to consumers that need AWD to deal with snow and difficult terrain?
Subaru has already built up a strong tradition of manufacturing durable and long lasting AWD sedans and station wagons, and their Impreza and Legacy are in a league of their own that’s very difficult to break through and compete.

Audi on the other hand is pure luxury that offers AWD as standard, but their cars are predicated on luxury more than off-road capability. Their sedans and smaller crossovers are competing against BMW and Mercedes Benz, and it would be a mistake for Acura to jump into the fray and compete against the best the automotive world has to offer.

Acura needs to change their image, or promote the brand that displays a definte direction so consumers know exactly what they’re buying. Introducing a crossover SUV wouldn’t be a bad place to start, and then figure out where their sedans compete in the automotive market.

AWD is the right answer, but to the wrong question. Consumers don’t know where Acura fits in the luxury market, and they have no idea whether it’s a luxury brand or not, especially with the changes they’ve made to their lineup by getting rid of the TL and TSX. Acura has a lot of questions to answer and evaluate where their brand stands among its competitors, but when it comes to standardizing AWD on all their models, they’re on the right track.

If someone walked up to you fifteen years ago and said that Subaru, Honda, Mazda, and Toyota were making four door sedans that rivaled the Germans, would you believe them? Or better yet, if that same person told you Audi, Mercedes Benz, and BMW were offering smaller vehicles with starting prices near $30,000, would you think they were joking? The reality is, in the year 2014 the Subaru Legacy, Honda Accord and Civic, Mazda 6, and Toyota Camry and Avalon are all on par with German luxury vehicles, but for a fraction of the cost. While the big three German auto manufacturers are entering the cheaper luxury markets, the Japanese and even the Americans are meeting them with top notch vehicles that might make you question your bias towards a certain car brand.

The fact that any car can have an LCD monitor, leather seats, a spacious interior, and great fuel economy, really begs the question on whether it’s worth spending $10,000 – $20,000 more to get the same package and luxury you’d find on what used to be inferior car brands. For many, the dream of owning a Mercedes Benz or BMW will never go away, but when we were kids, who could have foreseen a Honda, Toyota, Mazda, or Subaru with a luxurious interior? What was once exclusive to those who were affluent, can now be found on most cars that were seen as average. Luxury really has taken on a whole new meaning, but it doesn’t stop there. Performance is also another feature that can be found on four door sedans that were 15 years ago, a family oriented vehicle.

You can own a Subaru Legacy with a 265 horsepower V6 engine for around $32,000, almost $8,000 less than the Audi A4 that has a turbocharged four cylinder engine with 220 horsepower. I must ask the question again, is it worth spending the extra $8,000 on an Audi when you can own a Subaru with the same comforts and styling? The Chrysler 200 has a V6 option which supplies a whopping 295 hp, completely blowing away any of the Japanese or German four door sedans in the price range of $30,000 – $35,000.

But at the end of the day, all the driver really wants is reliability with a combination of some form of luxury, and Honda, Mazda, Subaru, and Toyota can offer that. These brands speak for themselves as they’ve been known for reliability for years, but now that they’ve put in nicer interiors, leather seats, and performance for competitive prices, it’s hard to see why you’d pay extra for a car that offers the same. The only major difference is the badge on the front of the car and the recognition that brand has that catches the eyes of bystanders.

Heading into 2015, the consumer is going to have a boatload of options in the four door luxury sedan market in the $30,000 – $35,000 price range. Luxury is what you make it; the auto manufacturers are just making cars that help steer you into their direction. Owning an Audi, Mercedes, or BMW is a major feat, but when you see cheaper options that may offer more, it’s hard to say no.